5 And he had hope to
shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many
things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels,
and they had ministered unto me. And
also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from
time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.
6 And it came to pass
that he came unto me, and on this wise did he speak unto me, saying: Brother
Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might speak unto you; for I have
heard and also know that thou goest about much, preaching that which ye call
the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ.
7 And ye have led away
much of this people that they pervert the right way of God, and keep not the
law of Moses which is the right way; and convert the law of Moses into the
worship of a being which ye say shall come many hundred years hence. And now behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you
that this is blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell
of things to come. And after this manner
did Sherem contend against me.
Jacob 7:5-7
Why had Sherem come to challenge Jacob? Jacob tells us “he had hope to shake me from
the faith.” After all that Jacob had
been through during his lifetime, only an outsider would believe he could shake
Jacob’s faith.
Jacob’s faith was based on the revelations he had seen. Speaking to the Nephites earlier he told
them, “Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that
Christ—for in the last night the angel spake unto me that this should be his
name—should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of
the world; and they shall crucify him—for thus it behooveth our God, and there
is none other nation on earth that would crucify their God” (2 Nephi 10:3). Nephi had faith in his brother’s testimony
and commitment to the gospel because “my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I
have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to
prove unto them that my words are true.
Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my
word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words?”
(2 Nephi 11:3).
Jacob had also seen angels and heard the voice of the Lord. As a part of his blessing given to Jacob, Lehi
told him, “And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art
blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit
is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free” (2
Nephi 2:4). Sherem was on a fool’s
errand if he thought he could shake Jacob’s faith.
After making previous attempts to meet with Jacob, Sherem
finally meets him. He tells him why he
wants to speak with him. “I have heard
and also know that thou goest about much, preaching that which ye call the
gospel, or doctrine of Christ.” “Nephi and his brother Jacob apparently spoke
of the gospel of Jesus Christ by the name of the ‘doctrine of Christ’ (see 2
Nephi 31:2, 21; 32:6; Jacob 7:2, 6). They used these two terms for the teaching
of Christ interchangeably (see Jacob 7:6).”[1]
Sherem’s statement to Jacob implies that he was most likely
a part of the Nephite population.
“Now, the population of adult males descended from the
original group could not have exceeded fifty at that time. This would have been
only enough to populate one modest-sized village. Thus Sherem’s is a strange
statement. Jacob, as head priest and religious teacher, would routinely have
been around the Nephite temple in the cultural center at least on all holy days
(see Jacob 2:2). How then could Sherem never have seen him, and why would he
have had to seek ‘much opportunity’ to speak to him in such a tiny settlement?
And where would Jacob have had to go on the preaching travels Sherem refers to,
if only such a tiny group were involved. Moreover, from where was it that
Sherem ‘came . . . among the people of Nephi’ (Jacob 7:1)? The text and
context of this incident would make little sense if the Nephite population had
resulted only from natural demographic increase.”[2]
Sherem wastes no time leveling his accusations. Looking at the accusations, it’s apparent he
was familiar with the Law of Moses. John
Welch explains Sherem’s accusations.
“In light of the ancient Israelite criminal law that was in
force among the Nephites at this time and at least up to the time of the
reforms of Mosiah (see 2 Nephi 5:10; Jarom 1:5; Mosiah 17:7–8; Alma 1:17), it
is evident that Sherem’s accusations were serious allegations. On three
accounts, he accused Jacob of offenses punishable by death:
Ye have [1] led away much of this people that they pervert
the right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses which is the right way; and
convert the law of Moses into the worship of a being which ye say shall come
many hundred years hence. And now behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you that this
is [2] blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things; for he [3] cannot tell of
things to come. (Jacob 7:7).[3]
[1]
Nephi’s Teachings in the Book of Mormon, Noel B. Reynolds, Maxwell Institute.
[2]
When Lehi’s Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? John L.
Sorenson, Maxwell Institute.
[3]
Sherem’s Accusations against Jacob, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute.
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